Who it suits
Exposed entries with no overhang or porch roof. On a sheltered porch, a storm door mostly adds one more thing to maintain.
It also suits homeowners who like to let a breeze in through the front door while keeping bugs out.
Storm Doors
A second door mounted outside your main entry door. It takes the weather off the main door and lets in fresh air.
Exterior windows and doors only. We do not install interior doors or interior windows.
- Read our Google reviews
- Mon to Sat, 7 AM to 7 PM
- Licensed and insured
How it opens
Quick answer
A storm door is a second, lighter door mounted outside your main entry door, usually with glass, a screen or both. It is worth having on an exposed entry with no overhang, where it shields the main door from rain and sun. On a covered porch it mostly adds upkeep, and in North Alabama a full-glass storm door over a dark door facing south or west can trap enough heat to warp it.
At a glance
- How it opens
- A lighter hinged door outside the main door, with glass, a screen or both.
- Best for
- Exposed entries with no overhang or porch roof.
- Watch for
- Heat trapped between full glass and a dark door on a sunny entry.
- Upkeep
- Check the closer and weatherstrip each year, and keep the glass and screen clean.
- Scope
- Exterior doors only. We do not install interior doors.
The details
How it compares
Worth it on an exposed entry, where it noticeably extends the life of the main door's finish. Not worth it on a covered porch.
On a dark, south-facing door, heat trapped between the two doors can warp the main door, so ask before assuming a storm door is an upgrade.
In this climate
A storm door earns its place on an entry with no overhang, where it takes the wind-driven rain and the sun off the main door. On a sheltered porch it mostly adds a second thing to maintain.
There is one real caution in this climate. A full-glass storm door in front of a dark entry door traps heat between the two, and on a south or west wall that can be enough to warp the door it was meant to protect. Ventilated panels solve it.
Choosing the right storm door
The view type is the main choice, and it is one of the things that sets the price.
- Full view
- One large glass panel that shows off your main door. On a sunny entry it needs a screen or vent to let heat out.
- Partial view
- Glass at the top and a solid panel below. It lets in less light but holds up better to bumps from pets and packages.
- Retractable screen
- A screen that rolls up into the frame when you do not need it, so you can switch from glass to screen without swapping panels.
Before you buy one to fix a draft
If your front door is drafty, a storm door treats the symptom, not the cause. The draft is normally worn weatherstrip or a failing threshold on the main door.
A storm door adds a second air barrier, which helps a little, but it will not make up for a main door that no longer seals. Fix the main door first, or consider replacing it.
What affects the price
We price after measuring, line by line, with the materials named. These are the things that move the number.
- Size and view type
- Frame material and finish
- Retractable versus fixed screen
- Closer and hardware grade
- Whether the existing opening is square
How a job works
Step 1: Free in-home estimate
We walk your exterior, measure, and show you the options. There is no charge and no pressure.
Step 2: Choose your materials
You get a written scope with every line and material named. Then we order for your home.
Step 3: Installed and cleaned up
Cut, fitted, trimmed, cleaned up and hauled away the same day. You never look at a pile of old frames.
From our recent jobs
Real ACM job photos. Every photo marked “ACM job photo” is from one of our own jobs.
ACM job photoPorch window replacement
Old porch windows with failing frames replaced with a new picture window and sliders, set and sealed from the outside.
ACM job photoDouble-hung window replacement in brick
A worn double-hung window with a deteriorated sill replaced with a new white double-hung unit.
ACM job photoNew picture window on a brick ranch
A large picture window installed on a brick ranch home, finished and cleaned up the same day.
What homeowners say on Google
- Google review
ACM Pros replaced our windows and our front door in Hazel Green, AL. We are very happy with the work and the team.
Ben Stachowiak, Hazel Green
Questions people ask
Will a storm door damage my entry door?
It can, on a sun-facing entry. The gap between a full-glass storm door and a dark door behaves like a small greenhouse. A ventilated or partly screened panel releases that heat and removes the risk.
Is it worth having on a covered porch?
Usually not. The main door is already sheltered, so the storm door adds upkeep and a second thing to clean without taking much weather off anything.
Does a storm door help with energy costs?
A little, by adding a second air barrier. It is a real effect and a small one. Fitting one to fix a drafty entry treats the symptom, because the draft is normally the weatherstrip or the threshold on the main door.
Can I get a storm door with a screen?
Yes. Many storm doors have a screen, either a panel you swap with the glass by season or a retractable screen that rolls into the frame. A screen lets a breeze through the front door while keeping insects out.
What does the closer do?
The closer is the arm, usually mounted near the top of the door, that pulls it shut gently. It keeps the door from slamming or being caught by the wind. A better closer and hardware grade holds up longer to daily use.
Will a storm door fit my front door?
Most standard entry doors can take one, as long as the opening is square. If it is out of square, that has to be corrected for the storm door to close and seal properly, which is one of the things that moves the price. We check it when we measure.
Do you install interior doors?
No. We install exterior doors only: entry, patio, exterior French and storm doors. We do not install interior doors, and we do not do any work inside the house.
Related services
Exterior Door Installation
Entry, patio, exterior French and storm doors, set on a sealed sill pan so the threshold stays dry for years.
Learn moreEntry Doors
Exterior front doors in fiberglass, steel or wood, set on a flashed sill pan so the threshold stays dry for years.
Learn morePatio and Sliding Doors
Sliding glass or hinged patio doors that open onto a deck or yard, installed with a sill pan so the threshold stays dry.
Learn moreExterior French Doors
A hinged pair of exterior glass doors that seals better than a slider and opens wide onto a patio or deck.
Learn more
Exterior Window Replacement
Every window style and frame material, measured and installed from the outside with a sill pan and proper flashing.
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Guides on this topic
Exterior windows9 minute read
Best Windows for North Alabama Homes: Frames, Glass and Style
Frame material, glass package and window style, judged against what North Alabama's long, humid cooling season actually does to a window.
Exterior windows10 minute read
Signs You Need New Windows: Five to Act On, Two to Watch
Five window problems worth acting on in a North Alabama home, and two that look alarming but usually are not.
Exterior doors10 minute read
Best Entry Door Material for Alabama: Fiberglass, Steel or Wood
Fiberglass, steel and wood each have a place on a North Alabama front door. Here is how humidity, hail and hard afternoon sun should steer your choice.
Areas we serve
We're based in Madison and work across North Alabama, providing storm doors in every area below. We do not work in Tennessee.
Let's get your home looking its best.
Tell us what you're picturing. We'll come out, measure up, and give you a free written estimate, so you know exactly what to expect before any work begins.
- Free measuring and written estimate
- No pressure to sign, ever
- Alabama license #307601, licensed and insured
